I’m getting excited about an upcoming trip. Now, I frankly get excited about going on any trip; once I’m on the airside of security at an airport, there is a little boy in me who wants to run round and jump up and down like a puppy. This trip, in about three weeks time though, includes stops in Honiara, Solomon Islands, Darwin, Australia, and a couple of places then in Bali. Mostly vacation, the trip is predicated on a strategic planning session I’m facilitating in Honiara, and then two invitations to preach, one at the cathedral in Honiara, and then one from the cathedral in Darwin (where I’ll also be leading a workshop on Compassion). And of all of the things that are exciting me, including seeing more sharks and crocodiles, meeting new people and learning lots, I’m going to be in places to which I’ve never been.

There’s a great picture that’s been floating around Facebook that is a chalk drawing on a black board. A small circle in the lower left is tagged “Your comfort Zone.” And then, taking up much of the upper right hand quadrant is a large circle tagged; “Where the magic happens.” I have learned first hand about that magic. It was not that long ago for example that I refused to ride roller coasters, or would think someone who swam with sharks was mad! I would, not so long ago have chosen to go to the same place for a vacation, for all sorts of good, rationale reasons, but deep down, it was my comfort zone. Professionally, I find myself working with different groups now, with different skills and challenges now, and am enjoying myself immensely. A couple of years ago, I would quite rationally shy away from such challenges.

And so in three weeks time, I move a bit farther from my comfort zone; into a world for example that at the turn of the last century was filled with cannibalism and head hunters. Into a world filled with sharks and crocodiles (the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK, posted a travellers alert on July 12 that “large crocodiles were seen” off the beaches of Honiara!) A world of cross roads and challenges, and a world of peace and contentment. I’m looking forward to my learnings and (re)learnings on the trip.

And in the meantime, I wonder about pushing outside of my comfort zone here in Canada in the next three weeks? I wonder about how as leaders we can push ourselves and our colleagues outside of our comfort zones towards growth and new possibilities for ourselves and our organizations? 

Here’s to “where the magic happens” in each of our lives!

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